Iran asked to negotiate or face sanctions

EU foreign ministers threaten Iran with new sanctions and leave doors open for negotiations over the controversial nuclear programme.

European Union (EU) foreign ministers have threatened Iran with new sanctions, however, left the doors open for negotiations over controversial nuclear programme.

The foreign ministers Monday deplored Iran for not complying with UN Security Council Resolution 1747, which orders Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment-related activities.

"Iran has instead continued to drive forward its nuclear program as well as further restricting its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), thus creating doubts as to the exclusively peaceful nature of its program," said the ministers in a statement here.

The ministers reasserted their full support for the UN Security Council to adopt further measures under Article 41, Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter should Iran continue not to comply with its international obligations.

Article 41 provides for sanctions short of military action.

The ministers reaffirmed their support for contacts between EU common foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and strongly urged Iran to engage constructively in these consultations and to create the necessary conditions for negotiations to resume.